UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City
College of Arts and Sciences
Language-Communication Department
ENGLISH 100 (Purposive Communication)
MODULE 7
LESSONS: COMMUNICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT: THE APPLICATION LETTER
Sub-topics: a. Definition of the purpose of an Application Letter
b. What makes a good Application Letter?
c. Parts of a Job-Application Letter
d. Sample Application Letter
TOPIC LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the module, you are expected to:
1. Define the purpose of an application letter is.
2. Identify the factors that makes a good Application letter
3. Explain the parts of an application letter
4. Make your own Application Letter.
LESSON
What is an Application Letter?
The purpose of a job-application or resume cover letter is to improve your chances of
being called for an interview, by convincing the employers that you would be the best
person for the position. If your letter is poorly written, the reader will not likely take the
time to look at your resume. So, your application letter is a crucial chance at making a
good first impression.
What makes a Good Application Letter
Selectivity. Choose only your best attributes – two or three that will be of the most
interest to the reader – to present in well-developed paragraphs. Focus on your
skills you can bring to the company and how your accomplishments may have
benefited a previous employer.
A job application letter should:
Be single spaced, leaving one space between paragraphs.
Be about one full page in length (can be longer based on your
experience).
Have carefully chosen words – pack a lot into a small space,
making each word count to show that you are the most qualified
candidate for the position.
Parts of a Job-Application Letter
Inside Address – include the name, title, organization, and mailing address. Spell the
name correctly to avoid offending the employer. If you do not know whom to address
the letter, there’s no harm in calling the company.
Salutation – begin the letter with “Dear” followed by the reader’s title and last name,
ending with a colon, not a comma.
Four Paragraphs Minimum – your letter should have at least an introductory paragraph,
an education paragraph, an employment paragraph, and a concluding paragraph.
Complimentary Close – These are some standard phrases: Sincerely, Sincerely Yours,
Yours sincerely, Yours very truly, and Very truly yours.
Signature – Type your full name on the fourth line below the complimentary close. Sign
in ink above your typed name.
Enclosure Line – The enclosure notation refers to the resume.
Introductory Paragraph
This paragraph capture’s the employer’s attention and creates the tone of your letter.
You want to establish the tone of the quiet self-confident, not self-effacement. Avoid all
negative statements. For example, do not say, “I do not have a strong background in
computers, but I am willing to learn.” Your reader will walk away remembering your
weaknesses instead of your strengths.
Four functions of the introductory paragraph:
1. Identifies your source of information.
For a solicited application, name your source of information: advertisement,
website, current employee’s name and title. If your application is unsolicited,
simply ask if the position is available.
2. Identifies the position you are interested in.
Make it clear which position you are applying for, in case the organization
has advertised a lot of vacancy and job openings.
3. States that you wish to be considered for the position.
4. Forecasts the rest of the letter.
Choose a few phrases in the opening paragraph that let your reader know
what to expect in the body of the letter. For example, “retail experience” or
“computer experience” prepares your reader for a discussion of these
qualifications later in your letter.
The Educational Paragraph
If your education paragraph is stronger than your employment paragraph, as most
students’ will be, place it before the employment paragraph. In your paragraph,
consider what aspect of your education best fits the job requirements. A good strategy
is to discuss skills and knowledge gained from advanced coursework in your major.
You can also discuss the range and diversity of your courses to show how versatile you
are, if the job you are applying for stresses this. Your business or communication skills
that are acquired in college, as well as extracurricular activities, are often valuable to
mention. Employees with leadership experience and skills are of value to many
companies. Be sure to mention your college major in the education paragraph, if you
have not already done so in your introductory paragraph.
In addition to the courses required for a biology degree at Texas A & M University, I took
several business courses to enhance my education. Because your ad mentions that the
position will require a great deal of client contact, I believe that my work in marketing would
be of special value to your company. In an upper-level course, I designed a twenty-page
pamphlet describing the hospital laboratory equipment that Peterson Hospital Equipment
Company manufactures. Peterson, where I am currently employed in a work/study
program, is now using this sales pamphlet to market their equipment.
The Employment Paragraph
Begin with a topic sentence and develop a single idea. The idea might be that you
have a broad background of that a particular job has given you special skills that will
help you in the job for which you are applying. This is an example of an effective
employment paragraph.
For the past three summers, I have gained valuable experience as a technical editor at
Space-Age Computers. The copy editors had no special training in computers and needed
someone who could help verify that their revisions were technically correct. Our systems
analysts answered my questions for me when I did not know the answers to our copy editors’
questions, thereby increasing my own understanding of computer systems. My position in
the company provided me with excellent training in the creation of operating manuals.
The Concluding Paragraph
The purpose of the concluding paragraph is to encourage the reader to invite you for
an interview. In the earlier paragraphs, you provided information to convince the
reader to give you a second look. Your last paragraph should make it easy for the
person to contact you. The following elements are in a good concluding paragraph: a
reference to your resume, a polite but confident request for an interview, and your
phone number and e-mail address. Use the phrase “at your convenience” when
requesting an interview and state the time of day you can be reached.
More information about my education and work experience is provided in the enclosed
résumé, but I would appreciate an opportunity to meet with you at your convenience to
discuss further skills and experience I could bring to your company. You can reach me on
Wednesdays and Fridays after 1:00 P.M. at (979)784-6595, or leave a message for me
Sample
anytimeApplication Letter machine or e-mail address: jjackson@[Link].
on my answering
References:
2018. Writing job-Application Letters. [ebook] Blinn College - Bryan Writing Center. Available at:
<[Link] [Accessed 5 February
2022].